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Friday, November 20, 2009
Good Web Design for Entrepreneurs
For the most part good web design is a matter of keeping your content clear, targeted and well organized. You want your site to look clean and professional. You want your site to reflect the purpose of your business not your own agenda as an entrepreneur.
My advice is to start small and build your site up as you discover a need for more content. I would build a simple web page "template" that you use for the entire site so people know what to expect when they move from page to page.
Here are the top issues you need to address when you are designing your site.
Site Navigation
Site navigation is how visitors move from one page to another to find the information they are looking for within your site. It is essential that your site navigation is as simple as possible. The last thing you want to do is make it hard for your site visitors to find the information they are looking for. One advantage entrepreneurs have is that their websites generally are smaller that that for larger more established organizations. This is a good thing because it makes it easier for you to design a site navigation system that works well.
You want your site navigation to be clear and consistent from page to page. You want to avoid anything that makes it more difficult to find the information or pages people are looking for. You should:
Writing for the web is totally different than writing for print media. People generally scan websites instead of reading them. So you need to write in shorter sentences for easier reading. Use bulletted lists, headings and links to highlight the things that are important.
Use a Professional (if you can afford one)
Your website signals visitors how credible your business is. If your site looks like it was designed by an amateur customers are more likely to look elsewhere for someone to do business with. You can get a professional to create the overall design for your site but make sure you know how to add and update content (site maintenance is key).
Calls to Action
One of the most common mistakes we see on websites is a failure to incorporate a clear call to action. A call to action can be "Buy Now", "Click here for more information", "Sign up for our Newsletter", "Request a Quote." Decide what your Calls to Action are and make it very very very easy for people to execute them. If your site has been designed properly, your visitors will get a clear idea of how you can help them, so may wish to sign up for your newsletters or fill in a simple inquiry form. Calls to action are how you turn browsers into customers so don't forget them.
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References:
http://www.inplymouth.com/businessnewsindetail.asp?category=Internet&serialnumber=109
My advice is to start small and build your site up as you discover a need for more content. I would build a simple web page "template" that you use for the entire site so people know what to expect when they move from page to page.
Here are the top issues you need to address when you are designing your site.
Site Navigation
Site navigation is how visitors move from one page to another to find the information they are looking for within your site. It is essential that your site navigation is as simple as possible. The last thing you want to do is make it hard for your site visitors to find the information they are looking for. One advantage entrepreneurs have is that their websites generally are smaller that that for larger more established organizations. This is a good thing because it makes it easier for you to design a site navigation system that works well.
You want your site navigation to be clear and consistent from page to page. You want to avoid anything that makes it more difficult to find the information or pages people are looking for. You should:
- Avoid multiple navigation systems. It is common to see sites with a navigation bar along the top as well as down the side. This can be confusing and is usually unnecessary.
- Avoid using 'mystery meat' navigation. These are strange icons do not explain themselves to visitors on menus. There's nothing wrong with using words on a navigation menu.
Great Design
Great design is not so much about how your site looks - it is about knowing what your customers are interested in providing that on your website. Before building your website you need to knwo what needs it is designed to address. Your website may be about attracting publicity; it may be a tool to increase sales; it may a way to communicate with customers or investors. It can, in fact be almost anything. Your website be designed to do its job efficiently without unnecessary decoration that can get in the way.
Writing for the web
Great design is not so much about how your site looks - it is about knowing what your customers are interested in providing that on your website. Before building your website you need to knwo what needs it is designed to address. Your website may be about attracting publicity; it may be a tool to increase sales; it may a way to communicate with customers or investors. It can, in fact be almost anything. Your website be designed to do its job efficiently without unnecessary decoration that can get in the way.
Writing for the web
Writing for the web is totally different than writing for print media. People generally scan websites instead of reading them. So you need to write in shorter sentences for easier reading. Use bulletted lists, headings and links to highlight the things that are important.
Your website signals visitors how credible your business is. If your site looks like it was designed by an amateur customers are more likely to look elsewhere for someone to do business with. You can get a professional to create the overall design for your site but make sure you know how to add and update content (site maintenance is key).
Calls to Action
One of the most common mistakes we see on websites is a failure to incorporate a clear call to action. A call to action can be "Buy Now", "Click here for more information", "Sign up for our Newsletter", "Request a Quote." Decide what your Calls to Action are and make it very very very easy for people to execute them. If your site has been designed properly, your visitors will get a clear idea of how you can help them, so may wish to sign up for your newsletters or fill in a simple inquiry form. Calls to action are how you turn browsers into customers so don't forget them.
---------------------------
References:
http://www.inplymouth.com/businessnewsindetail.asp?category=Internet&serialnumber=109
Labels: design, website tips
Saturday, September 19, 2009
What information should your website include?
There is no one size fits all solution for new businesses when it comes to deciding what content you need to put on your website. Each business is unique and the website needs to be designed to meet the unique needs of your target audience. Thus it is important that you know why you are creating the website and target information content to the primary purpose of the site.
I was recently involved in a series of research studies the looked specifically at the type of content small businesses needed to put on their sites, from a user's perspective. Not surprisingly the studies demonstrated that they type of content varied based on the primary business the company and what the purpose of the site was (Walczak & Gregg 2010, Hasley & Gregg 2008).
Companies that are selling things online must provide accurate, believable product information that includes all "important" product characteristics. For example: ingredients is an important product characteristic for specialty food sites and book reviews are very important for author and other book selling sites. Of course price is important if you are selling things but studies show that including a price can actually be detrimental for higher end service sites (e.g. law firms and medical procedures).
Companies that are using their websites for recruiting or to attract investors also need to have accurate believable information but they need to include additional corporate information that is not required for sales only sites.
Regardless of what you are using your website for you need to realize that content is king, so make sure all of the information on your site is accurate, believable and up to date.
--------------------------
I was recently involved in a series of research studies the looked specifically at the type of content small businesses needed to put on their sites, from a user's perspective. Not surprisingly the studies demonstrated that they type of content varied based on the primary business the company and what the purpose of the site was (Walczak & Gregg 2010, Hasley & Gregg 2008).
Companies that are selling things online must provide accurate, believable product information that includes all "important" product characteristics. For example: ingredients is an important product characteristic for specialty food sites and book reviews are very important for author and other book selling sites. Of course price is important if you are selling things but studies show that including a price can actually be detrimental for higher end service sites (e.g. law firms and medical procedures).
Companies that are using their websites for recruiting or to attract investors also need to have accurate believable information but they need to include additional corporate information that is not required for sales only sites.
Regardless of what you are using your website for you need to realize that content is king, so make sure all of the information on your site is accurate, believable and up to date.
--------------------------
- S. Walczak and D. Gregg, "Factors Influencing Corporate Online Identity: A New Paradigm," forthcoming Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 2009/2010.
- J.P. Hasley and D. Gregg "Understanding and Managing Web Site Information Content: The WICS Method," Working Paper, July 2008.
Labels: design, research, website tips
Monday, September 14, 2009
Creating and deploying your website
One of the biggest hurdles small businesses face when developing their website often is deciding how to build their site and how to get it online - in front of customers eyes. Building a simple website is not that hard, certainly no harder than creating a business plan. But without the right tools and some basic knowledge it can seem like an insurmountable hurdle to overcome.
Build or buy?
The biggest first question is will you build it yourself or are you going to hire someone? Do you have 30-40 hours you will likely spend building a Web site yourself? Does your site require complex tools and features you do not know how o create and do not have time o learn? Do you have at least $1,500-$15,000 to hire someone reputable? Answer these questions first, then you can move on to the rest of your implementation!
If you decide to build your website yourself then you will need to learn to use some basic web development tools and invest the time (fifty to a few hundred hours) to learn the tools and build the site. Some common tools are:
If you decide to hire someone doing it on the cheap is not necessarily the best choice to make. You want to beware of the solo Web site designer/builder. They are less likely to give you a quality website and may not be available to update your site. Instead look for a true HTML/JavaScript coder who's up to date with the best coding techniques. Also look for a company that has been in business for a while and will be available when you need to change the site dramatically.
Even when you hire someone you want to make sure they are willing to show you how to make small edits to the sites content yourself. You do not want to have to wait for some designer to be available when you want to change your product description or price (and you do not want to have to pay them to make those minor changes).
Hosting and Email
Every website needs a host. A website hosting company maintains the computer (server) where your website files are placed. They can also set you up email addresses using your domain name (free email accounts like Hotmail, Yahoo, and Gmail are fine for personal use, but actually damage the credibility for your business).
When looking for a hosting provider you want to find a reliable hosting company that provides some sort of uptime guarantee for their servers. If possible you will want to speak to satisfied customers to see how quick the company is to respond to problems and if there have been any issues with their account. You may also want to look at a hosting review site like http://hosting-review.com/ to see what they have to say about different hosting sites.
Site Maintenance
It is surprising how many small companies believe that creating their website is a end in itself. That once it is deployed it is done. Your website needs to be a living document that evolves with changes in your company and in the competitive environment. This means you need to have a plan for updating your site. You need to know which pages and content need to be updated and how often. Finally, you need to know what technologies are needed to maintain your site before you build it.
It is surprising how many sites I visit that have outdated or obsolete information. Remember: your website is one of your most public faces to the world. As I mentioned in a prior blog post (Your website and your credibility), a well designed website can help establish the credibility of a new venture. However a poorly maintained website can damage that reputation even faster.
Build or buy?
The biggest first question is will you build it yourself or are you going to hire someone? Do you have 30-40 hours you will likely spend building a Web site yourself? Does your site require complex tools and features you do not know how o create and do not have time o learn? Do you have at least $1,500-$15,000 to hire someone reputable? Answer these questions first, then you can move on to the rest of your implementation!
If you decide to build your website yourself then you will need to learn to use some basic web development tools and invest the time (fifty to a few hundred hours) to learn the tools and build the site. Some common tools are:
- Dreamweaver, Expressions: HTML Web pages
- PhotoShop: Images
- FTP software: To upload your site to the Web.
If you decide to hire someone doing it on the cheap is not necessarily the best choice to make. You want to beware of the solo Web site designer/builder. They are less likely to give you a quality website and may not be available to update your site. Instead look for a true HTML/JavaScript coder who's up to date with the best coding techniques. Also look for a company that has been in business for a while and will be available when you need to change the site dramatically.
Even when you hire someone you want to make sure they are willing to show you how to make small edits to the sites content yourself. You do not want to have to wait for some designer to be available when you want to change your product description or price (and you do not want to have to pay them to make those minor changes).
Hosting and Email
Every website needs a host. A website hosting company maintains the computer (server) where your website files are placed. They can also set you up email addresses using your domain name (free email accounts like Hotmail, Yahoo, and Gmail are fine for personal use, but actually damage the credibility for your business).
When looking for a hosting provider you want to find a reliable hosting company that provides some sort of uptime guarantee for their servers. If possible you will want to speak to satisfied customers to see how quick the company is to respond to problems and if there have been any issues with their account. You may also want to look at a hosting review site like http://hosting-review.com/ to see what they have to say about different hosting sites.
Site Maintenance
It is surprising how many small companies believe that creating their website is a end in itself. That once it is deployed it is done. Your website needs to be a living document that evolves with changes in your company and in the competitive environment. This means you need to have a plan for updating your site. You need to know which pages and content need to be updated and how often. Finally, you need to know what technologies are needed to maintain your site before you build it.
It is surprising how many sites I visit that have outdated or obsolete information. Remember: your website is one of your most public faces to the world. As I mentioned in a prior blog post (Your website and your credibility), a well designed website can help establish the credibility of a new venture. However a poorly maintained website can damage that reputation even faster.
Labels: design, implementation, website tips
Friday, September 11, 2009
Getting your website started
When deciding to create (or recreate) a website for your small business there is no substitute for proper planning. Planning is essential to determine if you are equipped to build the site yourself or whether you need to hire someone to do the job for you. It helps you determine the scope of the project and what features are essential before you launch the site (and what can be added later).
Here are some of the things you need to think about when deciding to start a website:
Domain Name
Your company name and your domain name should match. Period. Sometimes companies that cannot get a domain name that matches their company name will add extra words to the name like "companyinfo.com." This is not a good idea. If you cannot get a domain name that matches your company mane you might want to consider changing your company name to one that has an available domain name. Otherwise, the time and money you spend marketing your company will be sending traffic to someone else's Web site!
Logo
Do you have one?
Is it any good?
Your Web site design should match your logo in color and style. If you don't have a logo yet, you need to get one. It is important for both your online and offline marketing efforts. When getting a logo you need to trade off the expense of a custom logo with the aesthetic appeal of simple one. A custom logo design can cost fro $300 to $15,000 which is money many entrepreneurs do not have. If you decide to design your logo yourself (or get a friend to do it) you want to avoid using clip art for your logo because it will look cheap. There are a few of online tools that can help you with your logo design: logoyes.com or logoworks.com (easy, inexpensive logos!) or flamingtext.com which helps you create (free banners/buttons).
Design
Generally it is good to avoid a home-grown site design if you're not a Web designer. Home-grown designs often look less professional and thus do little to enhance your credibility online. If you decide not to go with a home grown design you face a decision. You can either use a design template or you can get a custom design.
The biggest advantage of design templates is obviously the price. Many design templates can be purchased for less than $100. Some are terrible but some are fantastic and when you purchase a design template you get to see exactly what you're getting up front. Custom designs can be expensive and time consuming but they do allow you to control the look of your site and the image you portray.
Structure
Once you have settled on a basic design you need to come up with the structure for your site.
Content
Content refers to your site's text and images. It is the meat and potatoes of all websites. It does not matter how beautiful your website looks or how many gadgets you put on it. If your content is lacking people will stop coming.
Most small business owners write copy for their websites themselves. After all you are the ones that know your products and/or services the best. When writing copy for the web, it is important to remember to use half the words (or less) than you would in traditional print materials. You also need to organize the content for easy scanning by using headings, links and bulleted lists in place of paragraphs.
When creating the content for your website don't forget the images. Images create the mood and can more quickly convey the purpose of the site than text alone. When choosing images remember most images online are copyrighted so you will want to either take your images yourself, hire a photographer or buy the images from one of the many photo/image sites available online. I personally like istockphoto for inexpensive royalty free photos.
Site Marketing
You will want to think about site marketing as a part of your original site design. You should think of thing like:
You also want to identify the pages on your site that are "Call's to Action". That is, you need to identify the pages that will get users to contact you for more information, sign up for a newsletter, watch a video or buy your product. These are the most important pages on your site and you will want to make sure they actually encourage people to do something with your company.
Summary
That should be enough to get you started with your website creation process. Check back for my next posting which will cover building and deploying your site.
Here are some of the things you need to think about when deciding to start a website:
Domain Name
Your company name and your domain name should match. Period. Sometimes companies that cannot get a domain name that matches their company name will add extra words to the name like "companyinfo.com." This is not a good idea. If you cannot get a domain name that matches your company mane you might want to consider changing your company name to one that has an available domain name. Otherwise, the time and money you spend marketing your company will be sending traffic to someone else's Web site!
Logo
Do you have one?
Is it any good?
Your Web site design should match your logo in color and style. If you don't have a logo yet, you need to get one. It is important for both your online and offline marketing efforts. When getting a logo you need to trade off the expense of a custom logo with the aesthetic appeal of simple one. A custom logo design can cost fro $300 to $15,000 which is money many entrepreneurs do not have. If you decide to design your logo yourself (or get a friend to do it) you want to avoid using clip art for your logo because it will look cheap. There are a few of online tools that can help you with your logo design: logoyes.com or logoworks.com (easy, inexpensive logos!) or flamingtext.com which helps you create (free banners/buttons).
Design
Generally it is good to avoid a home-grown site design if you're not a Web designer. Home-grown designs often look less professional and thus do little to enhance your credibility online. If you decide not to go with a home grown design you face a decision. You can either use a design template or you can get a custom design.
The biggest advantage of design templates is obviously the price. Many design templates can be purchased for less than $100. Some are terrible but some are fantastic and when you purchase a design template you get to see exactly what you're getting up front. Custom designs can be expensive and time consuming but they do allow you to control the look of your site and the image you portray.
Structure
Once you have settled on a basic design you need to come up with the structure for your site.
- What pages do you need?
- How will they be organized and linked together?
Content
Content refers to your site's text and images. It is the meat and potatoes of all websites. It does not matter how beautiful your website looks or how many gadgets you put on it. If your content is lacking people will stop coming.
Most small business owners write copy for their websites themselves. After all you are the ones that know your products and/or services the best. When writing copy for the web, it is important to remember to use half the words (or less) than you would in traditional print materials. You also need to organize the content for easy scanning by using headings, links and bulleted lists in place of paragraphs.
When creating the content for your website don't forget the images. Images create the mood and can more quickly convey the purpose of the site than text alone. When choosing images remember most images online are copyrighted so you will want to either take your images yourself, hire a photographer or buy the images from one of the many photo/image sites available online. I personally like istockphoto for inexpensive royalty free photos.
Site Marketing
You will want to think about site marketing as a part of your original site design. You should think of thing like:
- How will people find your site?
- What keywords do you think they will use to search for your business?
You also want to identify the pages on your site that are "Call's to Action". That is, you need to identify the pages that will get users to contact you for more information, sign up for a newsletter, watch a video or buy your product. These are the most important pages on your site and you will want to make sure they actually encourage people to do something with your company.
Summary
That should be enough to get you started with your website creation process. Check back for my next posting which will cover building and deploying your site.
Labels: design, planning, website tips